Kansas mom accused of leaving 2 toddlers in freezing car so she could go to a bar

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LAWRENCE, Kan. - A Kansas mother is in jail, accused of leaving her two small children inside a car for hours while she was at a bar, according to WDAF.

The kids were found during the single digit temperatures early Wednesday morning.

Playerz Sports Bar is back open for business after a strange series of events late Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning. A worker told WDAF that a 26-year-old woman, later identified as Tiara Dillon, came into the bar about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Over the course of almost 4 hours, bartenders said she ordered several drinks and made erratic remarks. At 1:30 a.m., they'd had enough and kicked her out.

Police said the kids weren't injured, but child protective services are also now investigating.

"Being in a car is not predictable, and they can be exposed to those temperatures that cause medical issues," said Dr. Travis Langner, University of Kansas Health System pediatric critical care division manager.

Doctors at the University of Kansas Health System say extreme temperatures like we're seeing now are extremely dangerous for small kids. Their tiny bodies can't adjust to the deep freeze easily, and it only takes a drop of a couple degrees in body temp for mild hypothermia to kick in.

"Definitely within minutes you could have that drop in what we call core temperature of the body. Once it gets below 95 degrees, we start becoming very concerned and want those patients to present to the hospital because part of the treatment is to re-warm them a specific way that can`t be done at home," Langner said.

It's safe to say that since the two children in Lawrence could've been in the car up to 4 hours, it's incredible that they're OK.

Experts said it's also important to know even running your car heater with small kids inside can be dangerous. If kids get too hot inside coats and blankets and can't take them off, they can get sick from being overheated, too.